For Sacramento featherweight Malikai Johnson, COVID-19 was more than an inconvenience. It was a life-altering virus that forever changed his family. While many struggled with the financial strains of the pandemic, Johnson faced a far greater loss — the death of his father. This story is about the quest for forgiveness, a journey many find difficult to navigate within the boxing world.
Johnson, signed to Patrick Ragan’s Westside Promotions, fights Saturday against Aidyn Yelzhanov at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, Calif., as the co-main event.
Johnson (12-0-1, 8 KOs) knocked out Jude Yniguez on Jan. 21 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, Calif., a venue in which many of his early fights took place under Nasser Navoroni’s Uppercut Promotions. It was his first bout with Sacramento boxing legend Ray Woods, the stepfather of the late Diego “Chico” Corrales. Johnson, 27, believed he had turned a corner in his career and was eyeing bigger fights. Little did he know his biggest battle would be outside the ring.
Johnson’s father, Tom Nguyen, contracted COVID-19. Johnson had started with Marcus Reeves, a coach from Sacramento, and faced tough matches. He defeated unbeaten prospect Ivan Vergara of Fairfield, Calif., and entered an early career-defining match with Jose Delgado, also undefeated at the time, in his second fight. Johnson had considered retiring, with only seven wins and one draw. His father suggested he retire undefeated with 10 wins and open a gym. Johnson was conflicted.
He ended up with Woods, a story in itself. Johnson actually avoided that gym, as he tells it. Former professional boxer Xavier Martinez, who trained with Woods, had him spooked.
“Xavier Martinez actually dropped me right before COVID, but I was able to brush it off because, like I said, I beat the undefeated fighters,” Johnson said. “I was like, I am never sparring him again, that dude is huge. He hits really hard. There’s no reason for me to be working with this dude that is way bigger than me.”
COVID-19 happened, and Johnson’s spirit was nearly broken. He admits to thinking about quitting since he didn’t see his shot coming in boxing. Johnson explained that he wanted to face his fears before calling it a career.
“Before I quit, let me go face my fear,” Johnson said of Woods’ garage gym. “Let me go to the toughest gym and let me go be with those lions, these people that can beat me, these people that can push me, and obviously can catch me. It opened my eyes to a whole new world.”
Johnson rebuilt himself and returned to face Yniguez under Woods’ guidance. It was the best moment of his career to date—until it happened.
“I guess his job was done,” Johnson said, holding back tears. “My dad died after that fight. He had got COVID, and he passed away. What hurt me was that I knew he didn’t have the vaccine. I don’t know if it helped or hindered. Whether that would have helped regardless. Maybe I could put pressure on him again. Maybe I could have forced him, but he got COVID at my fight.”
Nguyen passed away on Feb. 6, 2022. He had been hospitalized a week prior.
Johnson felt immense pain and regret as his father, who had been so instrumental in his life and career, contracted a virus that ended up taking his life at an event centered around him. His career, which had found a new direction, was now secondary to grieving.
“He was an anti-vaxxer, and he would always preach and post about it,” Johnson said. “He didn’t make it, and I blamed myself for a while, like, why didn’t I just quit before? Then this wouldn’t have happened.”
Johnson did something you don’t often hear boxers talk about but is extremely healthy—he went to therapy and talked through his problems. He found the peace he could with the situation and returned to the gym with Woods. This painful experience has now morphed him into having a unique focus.
“I think the level of focus I have is attributed to the solitude that I’m allowed in the sport,” Johnson said.
Johnson is now two-and-a-half years removed from the most painful day of his life. His last fight was in November against Eugene Lagos, his best performance, a third-round knockout. Lagos had knocked out Emiliano Sanchez in 2018 on a Golden Boy Promotions show.
Yelzhanov (6-2-1, 4 KOs) from Kazakhstan, now training in the San Francisco Bay Area, will meet his Northern California rival in L.A. Yelzhanov, 31, fought last August, losing a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Albert Gonzalez. Yelzhanov turned pro in 2015 but has fought infrequently, as he had a hiatus from 2018-2023. Since returning to the ring, Yelzhanov is 1-1-1 in the past year-and-a-half.
“I know my father is looking down on me watching,” Johnson said. “I want to win some form of a belt in tribute to him because that was always his dream for me to win a title and open a gym. So now I want to win.”
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